Break away
by ineedtogetalife
Summary: <html><head></head>Set between FC and DOFP. Erik and Raven come to the mansion after Cuba, however, the hostile greeting and message they recieve is a shock to them both.</html>


**A/N: So, X-Men. This actually happened because after watching Doctor Who's "Kill the Moon", I thought that the argument between Clara and the Doctor would work between Erik and Charles. I've altered it slightly, but it's based upon the episode. Hope you like it.**

_Professor!_

The sudden and loud voice in his head caused Charles to look up from the paperwork he was in the midst of organising. He hadn't quite realised how much work went into opening a school, but he knew that after Eri… that after Cuba he was doing the right thing.

_Charles!_

_Calm down Hank, I'm here. What's going on? Are you alright?_

_I'm fine, but it's… I_

_**Hank. **__Calm. Down. Tell me what's wrong._

_It's Erik and Raven. They're here_

Charles paused, suddenly understanding Hank's panic. It had been roughly 11 months since Cuba. Almost a whole year since they'd stopped Sebastian Shaw, since he'd been paralysed and betrayed. The telepath had looked for them of course, but had eventually given up, knowing that even if he found them, it wouldn't change a thing. Besides, his attention was needed in order to start his school, and he was only just now coming to terms with losing the ability to walk at the age of 24.

Trying to move on was hard enough without the constant reminder of what he'd lost.

Hoping that this was a mistake, he reached out, and felt Raven's mind approaching. He was about to ask Hank about how he knew Erik was there, until his mind hit a barricade, and instantly remembered the metal of Magneto's damn helmet.

_Professor? What do we do?_

Charles debated simply turning the two away, but wondered what would make them visit since it was painfully obvious where they stood. Despite their differences, Erik wouldn't simply attack him or the manor, and if for some reason he did, the professor doubted that he would only bring Raven as back-up. Curiosity winning over, Charles replied.

_Let them in, but keep an eye on them. I'm on my way, don't do anything until I get there._

Moving away from his desk, Charles moved towards the door to his study. He hesitated with his hand on the handle, before taking a deep breath and headed towards the foyer.

***page break***

Memories came flooding back to him as Erik entered the house. Memories of training, of playing chess besides the fireplace, of himself and Charles simply enjoying each other's company. He knew it had been a while, but eventually the guilt of hurting his friend and the curiosity of his condition had gotten the better of him, and he knew he had to check up on him. Convincing Raven to come hadn't been difficult: she'd only been too eager to check up on her brother.

The large doors opened, and they were greeted with glares by Alex, Sean and Hank.

"Gentlemen, we need to speak-"

"-to Charles, we know. He's coming."

Agitated at being interrupted, Erik simply gave Alex a small, unkind grin. "Thank you Havok. May we come in?" Verbally, he was given no answer, however the men moved out of the way to allow them both to enter.

As they entered, neither of them could help looking around and drinking in the site of the Xavier mansion. Although neither would admit or act upon it, both Raven and Erik had missed being here.

There was an awkward pause, as Alex, Sean and Hank moved towards the stairs, never taking their eyes away from the Brotherhood members, nor dropping their defensive positions. Hank tried his best not to look towards Raven, who was wearing her natural form and fixing her eyes on him.

A few moments later, the sound of a door being opened broke the quiet. Knowing who it was, Erik didn't bother looking around, but grew confused when instead of hearing familiar footsteps, he sensed a large amount of metal heading towards them. Raven's sharp inhale was enough to make him turn his head, and it took all of Erik's self-control not to do the same.

Instead of walking, Charles Xavier was using a wheelchair.

The chasm inside of Erik's gut grew, and he prayed to god that what he was seeing wasn't real. Charles entered the room, never once taking his eyes off the older man. Ignoring their surprise, he spoke using the same formal tone that he'd first greeted the FBI agents with a life time ago. "Erik, Raven, what brings you both?"

Feeling himself unable to speak, Raven hesitantly and thankfully voiced his thoughts "Charles? Are you… Why are you…" she trailed off, shock preventing her from finishing.

"Why am I in a wheelchair?" he asked, a hint of sick amusement gracing his voice. "Oh, I thought you both knew. That bullet hit me in the spine."

Even with the helmet, Charles still knew to turn to Erik and voice the metal-manipulator's unspoken question, speaking matter-of-factly "I'm paralysed from the waist down. Permanently"

Although he'd seen the news coming, it still hit Erik like a tonne of bricks. The guilt that he'd finally managed to supress was rising, and he took an involuntary step backwards "…Charles, I…"

"You're what? Sorry that you essentially ruined my life? Granted it's a little late for an apology, but I doubt my sudden disability is the reason for your visit." The sharp British accent made him flinch, but Raven got there first, a hint of anger masking her concern.

"Charles, we're sorry about what happened to you, we are. Erik and I just wanted to make sure that you were okay, and…"

"Oh, I'm perfectly fine. I've **been** perfectly fine ever since you decided to abandon me in order to go and pursue some act of childish revenge 11 months ago."

Sensing the other man's rising hostility, Erik interrupted. "It's not childish Charles. The humans are a threat to our kind, and they won't stop until we're all dead, and unless you can see that then-"

"Oh don't. Don't you dare lump us in with the rest of humanity that you see as tiny, and petty and predictable. What you're doing Erik, lashing out; killing their kind is only making the situation worse. I know that you're angry, but what you're doing is **wrong**." The telepath paused, glaring at the German through the unwanted tears that were starting to form, his voice getting gradually louder "Can't you see, ever since you killed Shaw, you've become exactly like him, if not worse!"

Standing straight, Erik looked down at his friend, suddenly uncomfortable at the mention of Shaw. Feeling the need to defend himself, Erik unknowingly dug his own grave. "I did what needed to be done."

"What? By leaving?"

"Yes."

"YEAH, WELL GET OUT!"

Silence. Erik knew that Charles was angry at him, hurt even. But he'd expected to hear yet another speech about how _not all humans were the enemy _and _there's a better way_. His usually calm and forgiving friend had never ordered him to leave before today. Then again, they had both been on the same side before today.

Stunned, he looked down at the wheelchair-bound man, whose eyes were burning with a bitterness and coldness that was completely foreign to Charles' face. Even with tears raining down, Erik didn't have to know the telepath to realise that Charles wasn't kidding. He tried to speak, but was beaten to the punch by a voice that sounded so hurt that it broke his heart.

"Both of you! You get out, and you go off and fight your stupid crusade against humanity, and you **don't** come back."

Erik could see Raven in the corner of his eye, who had long ago given up trying to look brave. She too was crying, and the metal-bender completely understood why. He'd only been given a glimpse into their relationship, but he knew that Raven adored her big brother, even after she'd left, and that Charles was very protective over her, having kept her safe for so many years. If nothing else, Erik thought that Charles would be more lenient towards her, more forgiving.

At this point, Charles had turned around, and was rolling away from the main entrance, from Magneto and Mystique, and Erik couldn't let it end this way. Not like this.

"Charles, wait. Charles!"

The younger man stopped, but didn't come back. Instead, he turned his head and fixed the two of them such a dark look, that they had to force themselves to keep maintain eye contact. Charles' voice had lowered to normal, and shook from the tears that were beginning to slow, but the finality in his tone was crystal clear. "You go away. Okay? You go a long way away."

With that, the telepath turned away, and continued down the hall back to his study. The following slam of the door echoed throughout the manor, and the Brotherhood members could only stand there, powerless as the man that they had both come to call brother shut them out of his life. Raven looked back to Hank, Sean and Alex, who were still giving the two of them hardened stares that were now mixed with something akin to grim satisfaction.

Surprisingly, it was Sean who spoke next "You heard him. Get out."

Suddenly feeling a lot younger than she was, she tried to move towards her old team. "Please, guys c'mon, we-"

"Goodbye Mystique." Said Alex, cutting her off. Hank remained silent, not trusting himself to speak. Without another word, the three boys walked off in silence, knowing that the message had been received; _You're not welcome here._

Erik was still staring at the passage way, the helmet on his head suddenly making him feel sick. He wanted more than anything to run after his friend and speak to Charles again, beg for forgiveness, fix everything between them. However, as he felt Raven's presence leave his side and move towards the exit, he knew it was all in vain. Charles' pride wouldn't listen to him, and his own prevented him from trying.

Erik walked away with a heavy heart and steeled resolve, knowing that for the second time in his life, his actions had cost him someone he loved.

**A/N: Apologies if this was OOC, but Charles is angry at Erik at least in DOFP, and I'm pretty sure that they saw each other again at least once in those 10 years. Plus Erik was suprised to see him walking, so he _knew_ that Charles had been paralysed. I apologise for any spelling mistakes and the terrible title (seriously. HOW DO YOU TITLE?!) please leave a review telling me what you thought, and I'll see you next time :3**


End file.
